Carton or similar article



July 14, 1942. M. R. MULFoRD 2,290,117

CARTON 0R SIMILAR ARTICLE Filed July 1.3, 1939 A TTQR NEYS,

,TED STATES PATENT ortica CARTON OR SIlVIlLAR ARTICLE Marion R. Mulford, Lebanon, Ohio, assigner to Hewett P. Mulford & Company, Lebanon, Ohio, a partnership consisting of Hewett P. Mulford and Marion R. Mulford Application July 13, 1939, Serial No. 284,297

5 Claims. (Cl. 47-37) This irlVerltOn relates to cartons and more desirable to provide some attractive covering arparticularly to a carton which is particularly rangement and it is preferable that this arrangeadaptable for use as a plant package .and growment should embody a watering well whereby the ing container and which in this connection proplant may be watered without wetting the survides a number of advantages. The particular 5 face on which the package rests, and means carton illustrated embodies a number of the feawhereby a number of cartons may be stacked tures described and claimedin copending appliupon each other without damage to the growing cations in the names of Mulford and Gray, Serial bulb. Preferably the arrangement should also No. 124,195, filed February 5, 1937, which issued include a cover element to retain the plant into Patent No. 2,238,818, April 15, 1941, and lo growth supporting material and prevent its dis- Serial No. 124,196, filed February 5, 1937, which lodgment from the container. Referring to Fig. issued into Patent No. 2,150,453, March 14, 1939. 2, I have shown a blank having a portion indi- Itis an object of my invention to provide eercated generally at I3 forming the top and havtain improvements upon the packages described ing side flaps Ill and I5 and ya bottom flap I6, in the above mentioned applications, and in genl5 articulated to the side flap I5. Preferably the eral my objects include the provision of a neat flap I6 will be provided with an articulated inand attractive package which is of relatively simterlocking tongue I'I adapted to interengage with ple manufacture, which will efciently serve its the slots I8 in the flap I4, as illustrated in Fig. 4. purpose, and which will have considerable eye The portion I3 is preferably provided with appeal. 20 flaps 20 which serve to continue the finished :ap- These and other objects of my invention which pearance of the top as in the case of the downwill be set forth hereinafter or will be apparent turned flaps III and I5, and thus prevent any raw to one skilled in the art upon reading these edges from showing at the top of the package. specifications, I accomplish by that certain con- In the flaps I4 and I5 I provide LI-shaped cuts Struct/i011 and arrangement 0f parts 0f which I :T5 generally shown at 2|, which cooperate with `anshall describe certain exemplary embodiments. other portion of the package as will be described Reference is now made to the drawing which hereinafter. I prefer to cut out the center cf forms a part herein, and in which: the portion I3, as indicated at 22, and to provide Figure 1 is a plan VieW 0f a blank from Which score lines 23 whereby flaps 213 are formed, which a portion of the carton is made; .".D are then folded downwardly along the score lines Fig. 2 is a plan view of the blank from which 23 and form attaching elements for the member a second portion of the carton is made; 25, shown in detail in Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a plan View of a third blank used in The member 25 is preferably, although notconnection with my carton; necessarily, square in cross section and has a cen- Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the R3 tral perforation 2S to permit plant growth, and assembly With parts broken away to show the is provided with slots 2l to cooperate with the inner construction; tabs 24, as shown most clearly in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. Fig. 5 is a cross sectional View taken on the Articulated to the four sides y0f the member 25 line 5--5 of Fig. 4 but with the carton in its asare the flaps 23 which are turned up as is Clearly sembled condition; o Shown in Figs' 4 and 6 Fig 6 is a Partial detain Cross Sectional View It win be noted that when the members inustake-n 0n.the une 6,-6 of Flg'-4 and trated in Figs. 2 and 3 are assembled the member Flg' 7 1S a p lan VleW of. a dlsplay element Whlch 25 forms a top element or cover element for the may be used m Connect-'lon Wlth the package' r inner moisture-proof container disposed below Briefly, in the practice of my invention, I pro- 4- vide a moisture-proof container of any well known type, said container being preferably rectangular in cross section and having sloping sides as indicated at IB. This container will in the i usual manner be filled with a plant growth sup- 50 Cess (ff Water Ou'Slde lfhe limer. mOlStllre-PrOOf porting material II and will contain one or more C0Ill'1a1l1er- In assembling, 1t will be' noted as bulbs I2, or growing plants. In order to make a ShOWn in Flg. 5 that the walls of the inner conpackage containing such a bulb or plant pleasing tainer IIJ extend upwardly above the' member 25 to the eye and not unpleasant to the touch as is and Outside 0f the flaps 28, whereby 1t is insured the case with most impregnated materials, it is 55 that any Water poured into said watering well the upper edges thereof, and that the flaps 24 form vertical walls defining with the member 25 a watering well. The flaps 28 turn upwardly behind the flaps 24 to cooperate in preventing achas access 4only into the interior of said moisture proof container.

In order to give a nished appearance to the whole package I provide an outer encircling member shown in Fig l, comprising four walls 30, 3|, 32, and 33. The wall 33 may be provided with a flap 3d having an interlocking member 35 adapted to engage with a slot 36 in the portion 30, or it may be adhesively fastened or fastened by stitching or the like. Flaps 3l are articulated to the tops of each of the walls 30 to 33 inclusive, so that when the entire article is assembled no raw edges will be visible and the package will have a nished appearance and will be reinforced and strengthened.

Referring to Fig. 5 it will also be noted that the flaps 2| which are slightly bent outwardly from the walls lll and I5 will, when the outer cover` is slid upwardly and then returned downwardly, engage under the down-turned iiaps 3T of the outer encircling member, thus providing a further interlock, and pulling the encircling member closer around the inner container.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a member 40, the upper portion of which may be died out and pointed in simulation of a trellis or the like. The lower portion 4i constitutes a flap which may be inserted between an inner and outer side wall, affording a pleasing background for the growing bulb or plant.

It will be clear that I have thus provided a carton consisting fundamentally of an inner moisture-proof plant container and an outer nishing member consisting in the particular case illustrated of three pieces, one of which (element 25) provides a retaining cover for the plant growth supporting material and cooperates in the formation of a watering well, the second of whish (element I3) completes the formation of the watering well and provides stacking ledges and which interlocks about said plant containing element, and a third element of which provides a pleasing finished appearance for the package eX- hibiting no raw edges, and which, by Virtue of the fact that it need not come in contact with water, may be made of any suitable non-waterproof material and finished or decorated in any desired manner.

It will be understood that modications may be made in my invention without departing from the spirit thereof, and that I do not intend to limit myself otherwise than as pointed out in the claims which follow.

Having now fully described my invention, what I clam as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a carton, an inner member having a tapered form and an outer covering member of annular form and having a taper corresponding with said inner member, the upper edge of said outer member being inwardly down-turned and said inner member being provided with upwardly directed outwardly extending tongues disposed for lapping engagement with said inwardly down-turned edge for retaining said members together,

2. In combination with an inner carton element of tapered form, an outer encircling band having a taper corresponding with said inner carton element and having an inwardly downturned upper edge and means on said inner oarton element to engage under said down-turned edge for locking said inner carton elements and band together.

3. In a carton, an inner portion comprising a top and a bottom, and at least two sides connecting said top with said bottom, said bottom being similar and smaller in cross section relative to said top, and an upwardly directed outwardly extending tongue in a side wall, and an outer annular covering element corresponding in shape to said inner portion and having an inwardly down--turned upper edge adapted to engage with said tongue to hold the parts in operative relation.

4. In a carton, an inner moisture-proof container having tapered walls, a member providing an apertured cover for said inner container disposed below the top thereof and provided with means for holding said member in operative relationship with said inner container, and an outer encircling band shaped to closely t said tapered walls, and having an inwardly downturned upper edge and means on said member cooperating with said edge for holding said band in operative relationship with said container and member.

5. In a carton, an inner moisture-proof container having tapered walls, a member providing an apertured cover for said inner container disposed below the top thereof and provided with means for holding said member in operative relationship with said inner container, and an outer encircling band shaped to closely it said tapered walls, and having an inwardly downturned upper edge and means on said member cooperating with said edge for holding said band in operative relationship with said container and member, said means including outwardly extending upwardly directed tongues on said member adapted to engage under said inwardly downturned upper edge of said encircling band.

MARION R.. MULFORD. 

